Fabric and process of making the same



' Patented Sept. 22, 1936- UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE William B. Serrin gton, Boston, Mass.

No Drawing. Application. February 28, 1931, Serial No. 519,269. Renewed January 22, 1936 10 Claims. (01. 91-68) My invention relates to the treatment of fabrics of great variety, the principal object being to so treat the fabric that it may be readily washed and cleaned and so that stains or foreign matter such, for example, as mud, ink, egg, or alcoholic liquor may be readily and quickly removed as, for example, by a dry or damp cloth or by-soap and water or even by boiling if desired.

. Among the fabrics in which my invention is particularly useful I may mention cotton, wool, silk, satin, ramie, leather, paper, straw hats, window shades and furs, although it may be used to advantage with any fabric, using this word in its broad meaning, of a structure having connected or interrelated parts. j l

Another object is to provide ventilation if, for example, my invention is embodied in a raincoat or in shoes and this is because the ingredients I use in treating the fabric do 'not fill up the spaces between the elements of the fabric.

Theprocess which I prefer to use in treating the desired fabric to accomplish my purposes is as follows: 1

One part by volume of melted wax is mixed with thirty parts of a solvent preferably a low volatile solvent such as a solvent known as No.

90 thinner, these ingredients being agitated to give a clarified emulsion. Then one-half part by volume of melted petroleum, or other organic, jelly is, while the Jelly is hot, mixed thoroughly with said mixture of wax and No. 90 thinner.

To the above mixture I add two parts of the following mixture, this adding being preferably accompanied by agitation until the whole becomes clear like water: I

I provide four parts of rubber or suitable rubber compound, such as crepe rubber, which are cut with gasoline or benzol to liquefy the rubber so as .to become what iscommonly known as rubher cement, this cutting being such thateach of said four parts will be substantially of the proportion of 5% ounces of the rubber to one gallon of gasoline or benzolthoroughly churned until the rubber is completely dissolved; These four parts of rubber are thoroughly mixed by agitation and without heat with three parts of nitrocellulose; and then I-add one part by volume of No. 90'thinner and mix until the mass becomes liquid.-

The above steps give a material comprising approximately nine parts of wax, approximately twelte parts of rubber and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose.

- Then the fabric is passed through the above liquidmass, preferably at about so as not to freeze or boil, and then passed-preferably between rubber rolls which may be adjusted to give the desired squeeze. The liquid material will cling to, and impregnate, the fibers, or other elements, but will not fill up the spaces between the E5 fibres, and the proper squeeze will give this effect and will make the fabric suitably impregnated and coated but not too stiff. Then the fabric is preferably immediately passed in adjacency to a heating device to evaporate the sol- 16) vent and thoroughly dry the fabric, such drying giving the desired finished appearance to the fabric. I

During the drying the solvent is evaporated, leaving the rest of the composition in and on the 15 fabric, the cellulose binding the rubber and wax, and leaving a water-shedding fabric which improves with age because of the composition becoming a more intimate part of the fabric.

I have referred to waxand I prefer the use of paraflin wax or bees wax, which do not Jell above 15. i

The solvent I have referred to as No.-- thinner comprises ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, toluol and alcohol and is a low volatile solvent butother suitable solvents, high or low, may beused.

I prefer to use petroleum jelly but castor oil might be used for low grade goods and I have referred to nitro-cellulose as preferable, butI may use cellulose or a suitable cellulose compound. l 1

The wax is a shedder of water orv other liquids and also acts'with rubberas a shedder, but by using the, two together in proper proportions and binding by small amount of cellulose I get a fiex= ible water shedder which will remain in the goods.

Rubber helps to holdwax and therefore wax may be used in small quantity so as not to be greasy and rubber aids in water shedding. A

'Jelly prevents the markingof the goods as, for example, 1 f the latter becomes crinkled or crushed. No. 90 thinner brings the rubber and wax together in and on the fabric so that cellulose can bind it there and the thinner is later evaporated. The proportions I have stated are preferred for medium weight goods such as" 12 ounce duck, broadcloth, poplin, etc., but in case of heavier or lighter weight goods the proportions may be suitably and slightly changed. In treating fur I prefer to add a small quantity of castor oil, preferably this addition being made to the liquid just before the fabric is treated, with the result that the fur has a better feel and appearance.

An advantage is that my composition acts as 53 preservative of the fabric and, in addition, as to colored goods, it will delay materially fading of the material and running of the colors and crocking of the material.

Another advantage is that my treated fabric has the same appearance to the user as the fabric has when untreated, that is to say, my coating is transparent.

Another advantage is that the material is as flexible or even more flexible than the fabric when untreated by my process.

It will be clear that any pelled or shedded to the extent that it will not impregnate the coating or fabric and consequently may be readily removed.

Where I have referred above to the use of paraffin wax which does not jell above 15 I mean 15 Fahrenheit.

What I claim is:

1. A fabric treated with a transparent cornposition consisting of approximately one part of wax, and a mixture of approximately two parts,

this mixture consisting of approximately threesevenths of nitrocellulose and approximately four-sevenths of rubber, the rubber being cut with gasoline or benzol so as to be of the proportion of 5 /2 ounces of rubber to one gallon of gasoline or benzol.

2. The method of preparing a transparent coating consisting in thoroughly mixing approximately one part of wax, approximately'thirty parts of a solvent comprising ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, toluol and alcohol, with a mixture of approximately two parts, this mixture consisting of approximately three-sevenths of nitrocellulose, and approximately four-sevenths of rubber, the rubber being cut with gasoline or benzol so as to be of the proportion of 5 ouncesof rubber to one gallon of gasoline or benzol.

3. A fabric coated with a transparent composition of wax, of rubber and of nitrocellulose, the proportions being approximately nine parts of wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose, the nitrocellulose binding the wax and rubber together.

4. A fabric impregnated with a transparent composition of wax, of rubber and of nitrocellulose, the proportions being approximately nine parts of wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose, the nitrocellulose binding the wax and rubber together. 5. A fabric coated with a transparent composition of paraffin wax, of rubber and of nitrocellulose, the proportions being approximately nine parts of paraflin wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber and, approximately. nine parts of nitroforeign matter is reand of petroleum jelly, the

cellulose, the nitrocellulose binding the wax and rubber together.

6. A fabric impregnated with a transparent composition of paraffin wax, of rubber and of nitrocellulose, the proportions being approximately nine parts of paraffin wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose, the nitrocellulose binding the wax and rubber together.

7. The method of preparing a transparent coating consisting in thoroughly mixing approximately one part of wax, approximately thirty parts of a solvent consisting of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, toluol and alcohol, approximately /2 part of petroleum jelly, with a mixture of approximately two parts, this mixture consisting of approximate- 1y three-sevenths of mately four-sevenths of rubber, the rubber being .cut with gasoline or benzol so as to beof the proportion of 5 /2 ounces of rubber to one gallon of gasoline or benzol.

8. The method of preparing a transparent coating consisting in mixing one part by volume of wax with thirty parts of a solvent comprising ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, toluol and alcohol, these ingredients being agitated to give a clarified emulsion; then mixing therewith /z part of hot petroleum jelly; then adding to the above mixed ingredients a mixture of two'parts, consisting of approximately four-sevenths of rubber made by cutting the rubber with gasoline or benzol so that the proportion will be 5 /2 ounces of rubber to one gallon of gasoline or benzol, the gasoline or benzol and rubber being thoroughly churned until the rubber is completely dissolved, the last-mentioned mixture consisting also of three-sevenths of nitrocellulose mixed with the rubber by agitation with heat, a small portion of such solvent being added and mixed until the mass becomes liquid, the mixture of rubber, nitrocellulose and solvent being mixed with the mixture of solvent, wax and jelly by agitation until the whole becomes clear like water.

9. A fabric coated with a transparent composition of wax, of rubber, of nitrocellulose and of petroleum jelly, the proportions of the wax, rubber and nitrocellulose being approximately nine parts of wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber. and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose.

10. A fabric impregnated with a transparent composition of wax, of rubber, of nitrocellulose proportions of the wax, rubber and nitrocellulose being approximately nine parts of wax, approximately twelve parts of rubber and approximately nine parts of nitrocellulose.

. WILLIAM B. SERRINGTON' 

